


hold me in your arms, senpai

by rikubraveheart



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akechi Goro Attends Shujin Academy, Akechi Goro is Bad at Feelings, Akechi isn't the Black Mask, Another Shujin AU because there's never enough, Falling In Love, Goro fails to realize Makoto is just as gay as he is, Joker is a little shit, M/M, Making Out, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:41:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26432086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rikubraveheart/pseuds/rikubraveheart
Summary: “Thank you,senpai,” says Kurusu.His heart skips a beat, and Goro’s first thought isoh no, what have I gotten myself into.The next few days are spent telling people off for making up stupid rumours and bickering with Kurusu at lunch. He doesn’t know why he started approaching him at lunchtime, but he’s pleasantly surprised to find out he genuinely enjoys his company. Kurusu is witty, and smart, and can keep up with Goro’s mind in a way no one else has been able to before.God, he’s in so much trouble.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 24
Kudos: 387





	hold me in your arms, senpai

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact: the doc title for this was "notice me akechi-senpai" because I have a cringey sense of humour. Final title credit goes to my friend Boo! In her words: if the title doesn't include the word senpai in it then what's the point.
> 
> Anyway, another shuake because when am I not writing shuake. I'm cooking another 3 shuake fics so look forward to that. One of them is a longfic.
> 
> Also, this has been more or less beta'd but there might be some mistakes so bear with me.
> 
> This won't be my last shuake fic so subscribe to my ao3 user if you want to get updates on that. I also have [a Twitter](https://twitter.com/rikubraveheart).

When Goro first hears about the new transfer student they’ll be getting, he sighs. Not only does he have to deal with Sakamoto, but now he’ll have to deal with an actual delinquent with a criminal record. 

One look at Makoto Niijima while they both stand in the principal’s office while they wait for said student to arrive tells him she’s thinking the same thing.

The transfer student looks… different, from what he had expected. He had assumed he’d be someone more Sakamoto-looking. Akira Kurusu, as he introduces himself, looks polite and silent, but it may as well be an act. He can’t forget this is a criminal he’s dealing with.

The principal introduces the new student to Kawakami-sensei, who will be his homeroom teacher and does not look happy about it, and then turns to face them.

“These are Makoto Niijima and Goro Akechi, president and vice-president of the student council,” he says.

“You should come to us if you need anything,” says Niijima, and her voice and stare clearly scream of _don’t cause us any trouble_.

Kurusu gives a nod of acknowledgement. Goro remains silent, as Niijima has already made their point clear. He eyes the student instead, taking in the details he hadn’t noticed before. For starters, he isn’t as calm as he thought at first glance. There’s a slight movement on his right leg that indicates nervousness. He’s constantly bringing his hand to his glasses and pushing them back as well. He also hasn’t made eye contact with anyone since he came in. A genuine effect of anxiety, or maybe just a way to make himself look smaller, harmless. 

Then Kurusu notices his staring and, for the first time since he came into the room, makes eye contact with _him._ Having gotten caught staring startles Goro, who quickly averts the other boy’s gaze. From the corner of his eye, he sees Kurusu tilting his head in confusion, probably trying to figure out what Goro had been thinking.

He leaves with his guardian directly after that, and Goro sighs, relieved that he won’t have to see the transfer student anytime soon if everything goes alright. As long as he doesn’t create him any trouble, it’s fine for him if he’s in their school.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like it’ll be like that.

“The transfer student has made friends with Sakamoto,” says Niijima the next afternoon. “Both of them came late to school. At lunchtime, no less.”

He scrunches up his face at that. Sakamoto and Kurusu aren’t a combination he wants to see. The following days pass by without any trouble though. Sakamoto and Kurusu are still friends but not arriving late anymore, until he notices the rumours. Of course, he already knew Kurusu’s record had somehow been leaked, and he didn’t like it at all. He figured there’d be rumours, but it isn’t until he stops to hear them that he realizes exactly how bad they are.

“Apparently he _killed_ someone,” says one female student. Goro stops right in his tracks and turns to face her.

“You shouldn’t go spreading rumours about your classmates like that,” he says. 

It’s one thing to be careful about the transfer student, which he honestly advises, and something completely different to spread rumours that serious about someone. Kurusu’s behaviour has been exemplary so far, with the exception of his slip up on the first day, so there’s literally no reason to spread rumours like that. Not like there’s any excuse to call someone a _murderer_ based on some gossip.

The female student and her friend mutter an apology and scramble away. That’s when he notices Kurusu in the corner.

“Thank you for standing up for me, but you really didn’t need to,” he says, and Goro is surprised that he’s actually talking to him. “I’m not bothered by these rumours. Some of them are even funny.”

Goro shakes his head. “Still, as the vice-president of the student council, I can’t allow gossip like that to float around the school,” he explains. 

This seems to amuse Kurusu, who gives him an almost smile.

“Well, how about I treat you to something as a thank you for standing up to me?” he asks. 

Goro is going to say no. He doesn’t have time to waste hanging out with troublesome transfer students. But, maybe because he feels bad for Kurusu or maybe something in his intense gaze prompts him to say yes instead.

“Do you perhaps fancy some coffee?” he asks. Once again, he seems to have said something amusing, because this time Kurusu actually chuckles.

“As it happens, I know a great coffee shop,” he says, turning away to walk towards the entrance of the school. “Come on.”

Still not knowing quite why he accepted, Goro follows him out. The train ride is short but tense, both of them not really knowing how to strike a conversation. Kurusu signals him that they’re getting off the train at the Yongen-Jaya station.

They end up in front of a hidden little café called LeBlanc.

Upon entering, he’s surprised to see the man behind the bar is none other than Kurusu’s guardian.

“You’re early today, kid,” he says. “And I see you brought company. You’re the student council vice-president, right? Glad to see the kid is surrounding himself with good influences.”

Goro doesn’t tell him this is the first time they talk, least of all hang out. The man —Sojiro Sakura— takes their orders and serves them. 

“On the house,” he says, when Goro takes out his wallet to pay.

They drink their coffee silently, but unlike the one at the train, it’s a comfortable one. It’s not too long after that Sakura announces he’s leaving.

“Here, make sure to close after your friend here leaves,” he says, handing Kurusu a key. “The vice-president, huh, that sure is a surprise.”

The last part is muttered, but he hears it nonetheless. They’re left alone at the café, and Goro wonders how long Sakura and Kurusu have known each other for him to trust Kurusu with his business.

“Are you related to him?” he asks, deciding to finally start a conversation with the other boy.

“No, he’s a friend of an acquaintance of my parents,” Kurusu explains. This surprises Goro, who tries not to let it show on his face but fails miserably at it. “I know. My parents were desperate to get rid of me, so they sent me off at their first opportunity.”

“That’s… depressing,” Goro says, not sure of what to answer. “May I ask what really happened? I, uh, don’t really trust any of the rumours.”

In truth, he’s been dying to know what exactly Kurusu did to grant him a criminal record. He’s sure after days of attending the same school as him that Kurusu can’t be some kind of ruthless criminal. Besides hanging out with Sakamoto he hasn’t done anything notable. And, from what he’s been hearing from Niijima and his teachers, he’s quite well-behaved and a good student. The only teacher who has complained at all about him is Kamoshida, but Goro has a very different opinion about Kamoshida from the rest of the school that makes him not believe everything he says.

Kurusu is silent for a few seconds, seemingly pondering if he should tell him or not. Goro seems to somehow have earned his trust, because he starts talking about what happened to him. When he finishes talking, Goro’s blood is already boiling.

“That’s so… so _unfair,_ ” he says. He has his own complaints about their justice system, but it’s still almost unbelievable that something like that would happen.

“I wouldn’t have expected you to get that mad on my behalf, or to even believe me at all,” says Kurusu.

“I already had my doubts about your reputation,” he explains. “You haven’t caused any trouble, and even seem to be keeping Sakamoto on his toes somehow, so I have no reason to not believe what you’ve just told me. And of course I’m angry. It’s immoral that you have to suffer because some powerful drunkard decided you needed to pay for his actions.”

There’s silence after that, but Kurusu has a small smile on his face. It makes Goro nervous for some reason, and he finds himself unable to look at it directly. “I’m gonna repeat what Niijima said to you a few days ago: if you need _anything_ or if you notice anyone spreading more of those rumours, come to me for help. I mean it.”

“Thank you, _senpai_ ,” says Kurusu.

His heart skips a beat, and Goro’s first thought is _oh no, what have I gotten myself into._

The next few days are spent telling people off for making up stupid rumours and bickering with Kurusu at lunch. He doesn’t know why he started approaching him at lunchtime, but he’s pleasantly surprised to find out he genuinely enjoys his company. Kurusu is witty, and smart, and can keep up with Goro’s mind in a way no one else has been able to before.

God, he’s in so much trouble.

His worries about whatever is going on between him and Kurusu get pushed back when Shiho Suzui jumps off the rooftop. It horrifies Goro, that someone in Shujin was going through something like that and _he didn’t notice._ Sure, he can’t be everywhere at once, but he has a suspicion that Kamoshida had something to do with this particular tragedy.

He should’ve done something a long time ago. Once the ambulance takes Suzui to the hospital, accompanied by Ann Takamaki, he walks towards the PE office, deciding to put an end to whatever is going on with Kamoshida. He doesn’t know exactly what it is, but he’s going to find out.

He doesn’t get to enter, though, because Sakamoto, Kurusu and Yuuki Mishima walk out the door.

Mishima looks horrified, and the other two look angry. He’s never seen Kurusu angry before. It sends chills down his spine.

That’s when he realizes they may know something, and his objective changes. The chances of him getting anything out of Kamoshida are slim, but he may get Kurusu to tell him something. 

He tries throughout the next few days, but Kurusu is still a closed book to him. He thought he had started getting the hang of reading him, and in some aspects he has, but he has gotten no information about Kamoshida from him.

He also tries Mishima, as he’s admittedly an easy target, but he always runs away when he sees Goro heading his way. But it confirms his suspicions that something _did_ happen with Kamoshida.

Then Ann Takamaki starts hanging out with Kurusu and Sakamoto, and things start to get weird. A few days after he first spots her with those two some kind of… card, ends up on the announcement board. A threat towards Kamoshida that definitely bears Sakamoto’s flare.

Still, Kurusu denies knowing anything about it. 

May comes, and Kamoshida confesses. He had had his suspicions, but hearing it from the man himself… it makes him disgusted. Disgusted with him because he can’t believe a teacher would actually do something like that, to the point of making one of the students want to end her life, and disgusted with himself for not acting faster.

Kurusu bears a triumphant smirk throughout the whole ordeal, and he wonders if anyone else realizes the transfer student they’ve been tormenting with constant gossip is the person who rid them all from Kamoshida.

Goro doesn’t know how he did it, and he has no proof, but there’s no doubt in his mind Akira Kurusu is the mastermind behind Kamoshida’s downfall.

One day he finds Kurusu waiting for him at the student council room.

“I need your help, senpai,” he says. “That is, if the offer still stands.”

He must be referring to what he had said to him at the café the first time they actually talked. 

“Of course it does,” he says. Independently of whatever went down with Kamoshida, he’s still convinced Kurusu isn’t a bad person. In fact, him taking down that pervert of a teacher might have made him even more sure that Kurusu was telling the truth when he told him about his trial.

“I need help studying for midterms,” Kurusu blurts out. “And I was wondering if you had time to tutor me.”

The request is a lot more ordinary than what he had been expecting. He doesn’t know _what_ he thought Kurusu was going to ask of him, but something as simple as that was not it.

“Oh, sure,” he answers.

Kurusu smiles then and his heart jumps at the sight. “Thanks, senpai.”

They agree on a time to meet at LeBlanc (because, really, he can’t pass on the opportunity to drink some more of that coffee) that afternoon, and if Goro is distracted the rest of the day no one needs to know it’s because he’s looking forward to his study session with Kurusu.

Except, instead of going home and waiting for him to arrive at their meeting time, Kurusu waits for him to finish his student council responsibilities so they can go together. This earns them a glare from Niijima—she still doesn’t trust Kurusu, but Goro couldn’t care less.

“You could’ve gone on ahead,” he says.

Kurusu shrugs, very characteristically of him. “We’re headed the same way, so I figured since you’re gonna help me out I could at least wait for you.”

It’s thoughtful of him, dare he say _sweet_ , and it shouldn't affect him as much as it does, but he gives him a soft thanks nonetheless. These past days with Kurusu, for the first time in years, Goro has felt like he has someone he can call a friend. And it scares him.

But then he looks at the boy walking beside him and he feels that being brave might be worth it.

Everyone Goro has ever loved has left him at some point. Kurusu, though, gets it. They understand each other, like kindred souls if you may. He feels silly, getting so attached to someone he met not so long ago. But he doesn’t mind it, not one bit.

Kurusu’s caretaker welcomes them to LeBlanc, and he can see he’s clearly happy that Goro is still hanging around him. 

They go upstairs, Goro wondering if there’s some kind of the second floor to the café, but he’s instead met with a dusty attic. 

“Home sweet home,” says his companion, and that’s when he realizes that must be where Kurusu sleeps. Said boy seems to guess what he’s thinking. “It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing.”

Goro takes a look around the room, realizing it’s a lot less disorganized than he’d have expected. He can tell Kurusu cleans regularly, which is good because otherwise, he’d be worried about his friend’s health. Constant dust inhalation doesn’t sound particularly healthy.

“It looks cosy,” he manages to say. Kurusu smiles awkwardly. “I guess it could be worse.”

They set themselves on a table, the awkwardness quickly fading as they get into their studies. At one point Kurusu leaves the attic momentarily, allegedly to get them both a cup of coffee (which Goro is more than grateful for). This leaves Goro alone with his thoughts.

The more he learns about Kurusu’s situation, the more his admiration for the other boy grows. He’s been in his own fair share of rough places, but he didn’t take them in his stride nearly as well as Kurusu. If he found himself in his place as he is right now, he doesn’t know what he’d do.

He comes back with two steaming cups of LeBlanc coffee and they get back to work. Except, Goro soon realizes Kurusu doesn’t really seem to need help with his studies. Sure, there are some concepts here and there that escape him, but it takes barely one explanation to get him to understand them.

“You don’t really need help, do you?” he says, with one eyebrow raised. 

Kurusu scratches the back of his neck. “Oops, you caught me,” he answers. Goro just stays staring at him, waiting for an explanation. “Well, you’ve seen so stressed lately with the whole Kamoshida ordeal, I thought you could use a break from everything. I also wanted to hang out with you out of school, so I thought, hey, why not kill two birds with one stone?”

This makes Goro smile softly. It’s true this is the first time in days he leaves the student council room before dark, and it had only been because he had wanted to help Kurusu. If he had asked him to hang out just for the sake of it he’d probably have postponed it indefinitely. 

“It is quite nice to take a breather,” he tells Kurusu. “Thank you, Kurusu-kun.”

“Akira,” he says. “You can just call me by my name, Akechi-senpai.”

It surprises him. But then again, when does his underclassman not take him by surprise? 

“Then I’d like you to do the same,” Goro replies. He already considered this boy a friend, and it had been years since the last time he had heard someone call him by his name. Which, admittedly, sounds sad, but Goro wasn’t exactly close to anyone until Akira came around.

“Alright, Goro-senpai.”

After that, seeing no point in studying when Akira clearly knows his stuff already, they leave their notebooks abandoned in favour of watching a movie. Akira doesn’t own much (Goro makes a mental note to get him some DVDs and possibly some books so he won’t bore himself to death in the dusty attic), but he coincidentally does own one of his favourite Fetherman classic films. 

He likes spending time with Akira like this, just the two of them (and Akira’s weird cat), with no worries and plenty of time to spare. They sit close to each other, probably closer than they should, but he can’t seem to care. 

The fact that Akira was able to notice he was overworking himself and took the time to get him to rest means the world to Goro. It means he _cares_. He should most likely be mad about getting lied to, but one smirk from Akira and he’s putty in his hands. He still finds it hard to believe the ways this transfer student can affect him.

Akira walks him to the station that evening, and Goro goes home hoping they can spend more afternoons like that.

He gets his wish, in a way. He does get to spend more time with his underclassman, except they’re not alone. He spends the next few afternoons helping Akira’s friends who actually do need it to study for midterms. It’s disappointing, but it’s also good to see Takamaki and Sakamoto putting some effort into their studies. Akira sure is a good influence on them.

Goro tells him so, and it only gets an amused laugh from Akira and a short response about how ironic what he’s saying actually is.

Akira lands himself in the top 10 of his year effortlessly, and Takamaki and Sakamoto actually _pass_ their exams, so Goro counts it as a win. 

He thinks it might be the end of his rendezvous with Akira, but the boy seems determined to keep making sure Goro is getting some time for himself. He can’t say he minds. He even takes Akira to the Jazz Club in Kichijoji, a place he had previously considered his sanctuary. He had always felt like taking someone else there would ruin it for him, but showing it to Akira feels almost like second nature. Like he _belongs_ there with him.

Then Akira starts acting weirdly. He starts cancelling on him, looking more tired than ever at school and even ignores his texts for whole afternoons. He can’t help but wonder if he did something wrong.

In his panicked state, he thinks Akira might’ve found about the _massive_ crush he’s developed on him, except Goro has been extra careful to not act any different towards his friend.

This lasts for about a week. Then, Akira apologizes profusely for his behaviour, telling him he had had some stuff to take care of and hadn’t wanted to inconvenience Goro.

“I’m _really_ sorry, Goro-senpai,” he says. And, God, he can’t be mad at him when he calls him _that._ “I didn’t mean to ignore you like that.”

He believes him. If he’s learnt something about Akira, is that he values his friendships over everything else. He’s seen it in the way he helps _everyone_ he meets. It’s quite endearing.

“It’s alright,” he says. “Next time you can just tell me that, though.”

Akira smiles at him, promising he’ll make sure to warn him next time he’s going to be busy for a few days. The conviction with which he says this means that, yes, there will be a second time. Goro isn’t too bothered by it.

Or so he thinks, until said next time comes. Akira makes good of his promise by leaving him a message notifying him he’s going to be busy for some time. Goro tries not to mind.

But he does mind when Makoto Niijima starts disappearing and getting busy at the same time Akira and his friends do. Niijima has done _nothing_ but continuously express her disapproval and distaste for the transfer student, not listening to reason when Goro had told her that, no, Akira isn’t some ruthless criminal and everything said about him is absolute bullshit. 

So, yes, he’s rather annoyed when she starts hanging around him like she hadn’t been criticizing him just the week before.

He manages to keep those emotions in check until he hears a rumour from one of his classmates about Makoto possibly being Akira’s secret girlfriend.

It’s around that time when Akira comes to give him a surprise in the student council room during the school day.

 _“Goro-senpai,”_ he says. “I figured since I don’t have much time after school I could come to see you for a bit when I _do_ have time.”

This irks him. He allegedly doesn’t have time for him, but he does have time for Makoto Niijima. He tells him so.

“Surprised you aren’t hanging out with your new dear friend Niijima,” he says. He doesn’t know what he’s gotten over him. He hasn’t behaved this way ever since he had been at foster homes as a kid, when he had tried everything to get the attention he wanted from his foster families. 

He feels _greedy_. Like he wants Akira’s attention to be solely on him.

Akira is visibly confused. “But I wanted to see you? Not Makoto.”

This somehow makes him madder. “Oh, so it’s _Makoto_ now.”

“What are you…” says Akira, but then his face goes from confused to understanding. “You’re jealous of Makoto.”

The last part isn’t a question, but a statement, like Akira is sure of it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he answers. 

“I don’t believe that,” says Akira. “She’s just been helping me with something, that’s all.”

Goro doesn’t respond, so Akira keeps talking. “Don’t worry, I only have eyes for you, _Goro-senpai._ ”

 _Damn it, heart_ , he thinks. _This really isn’t the moment to act up._

He usually loves Akira’s teasing, knowing that only a few people are privy to that side of him, but at that moment he doesn’t appreciate it. He especially doesn’t appreciate his choice of words, even if he most likely doesn’t know he’s actually striking a nerve.

He gets up to leave the room, not wanting to stay there with Akira anymore than necessary.

“It’s fine if you’re dating her, just don’t pretend to be busy when you can just tell me you prefer to hang around your girlfriend than spend time with me,” he says bluntly. He may as well get it out.

“Okay, now I’m confused,” says Akira. “How did you get to that conclusion?”

Goro shrugs. “Takao-san seemed pretty confident about it.”

Akira’s eyes open, like he’s realized something. _“Ooooh,_ so that’s what it is. That’s just a _big_ misunderstanding. I’m not dating Makoto. I’m not even into her,” he says. He pauses a couple of seconds, like he’s thinking about his next words carefully. “I’m not into Makoto, because the person I’m into is you.”

Goro blinks, processing the last part of Akira’s statement, confident he must have misheard it. “I beg your pardon?”

Akira smirks. “Really, I thought I was being quite obvious,” he says. “I really thought someone as smart as you would catch the signs, senpai. Although I wasn’t sure about you returning my feelings.”

Akira leans on the door, looking quite pleased with himself. “Until today, that is. I didn’t peg you as the jealous type.”

Goro is still processing Akira’s words, because the thought of him actually returning his own feelings hadn’t even crossed his mind. He had been so focused on denying his own feelings were real that he hadn’t even allowed himself to _think_ about that possibility.

Before Akira, Goro had been alone. Hadn’t allowed himself to rely on anyone else or even to get close to someone. But then this boy, who somehow understood him when no one else did, had appeared.

Akira seems to notice his bewildered expression, because he approaches him. “Senpai, are you okay?”

Goro answers his question with a kiss.

Akira, taken by surprise, takes a few steps back until he hits the desk, gripping the edge of it to win stability. Goro is not a lot taller than him, only a few inches, but it’s enough that he has to bow down to properly kiss him.

Akira starts kissing back fervently. He buries both his hands on Goro’s hair, pulling slightly. Goro gasps, and in the short time their lips separate Akira hops on the table. Goro positions himself between Akira’s legs, and he leans down to press their bodies even closer.

They move in unison, and at that moment he swears they fit together like two puzzle pieces. As Akira’s tongue brushes against his, he feels like his head is up in the clouds. 

_“Senpai,”_ whispers Akira, with his voice hoarse. Goro groans.

The other boy’s glasses press hard against his face, but the pain is grounding. It assures him that he’s not dreaming, that this is real. He grips Akira’s arm so hard there’s no way it doesn’t hurt, but Akira doesn’t seem to mind.

He wants this moment to last forever. The uncertainty of what might happen after the kiss ends scares him. He’s never let anyone in the way he’s letting Akira, showing him every part of himself. Even now, as they press their lips together, Goro still feels that deep feeling of mutual understanding, of trust. 

His heart is once again swelling, as it always seems to whenever Akira is around, but this time he embraces it. No more repressing his feelings or pushing people away. With Akira, he simply _belongs._

He’s so absorbed by the feeling of Akira’s hands on his hair, his lips against his and his warmth on every part their bodies meet that he barely hears the door of the room open.

But he definitely hears Niijima’s voice. “Oh my!” she exclaims.

Goro immediately breaks away from Akira. Both their breathings are ragged, and Goro is positive his hair is a mess right now, so even if she hadn’t walked in when she did what they were doing would have been pretty obvious.

Even in that embarrassing situation, he can’t help but feel a pang of satisfaction. If he’d wanted to make sure Niijima knew who Akira was really interested in, this definitely worked.

“Well, thanks for the help, senpai, text you later!” Akira says, and leaves the room before anyone can say anything else.

By the look Niijima is giving him, he knows this is far from over. It’s a good thing she’s easily embarrassed, otherwise, he’s sure he’d be getting a lecture right now. He fixes his hair to the best of his efforts before following Akira’s example and leaving the room.

Later that day, he gets a text from Akira telling him that he’ll be waiting for him outside so they can go on a date.

At that moment, Goro thinks he can definitely get used to this.

**Author's Note:**

> Once again, subscribe to my ao3 user for writing updates and here's [my Twitter](https://twitter.com/rikubraveheart).
> 
> Big thanks to my friend [Boo](https://twitter.com/pandahuff_) for beta reading this and coming up with the title!


End file.
